Leslie Marmon Silko’s sublime Ceremony is almost universally considered one of the finest novels ever written by an American Indian. It is the poetic, dreamlike tale of Tayo, a mixed-blood Laguna Pueblo and veteran of World War II. Tormented by shell shock and haunted by memories of his cousin who died in the war, Tayo struggles on his impoverished reservation. After turning to alcohol to ease his pain, he strives for a better understanding of who he is. Download and start listening now!

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Quotes & Awards

“Ceremony is the greatest novel in Native American literature. It is one of the greatest novels of any time and place. I have read this book so many times that I probably have it memorized. I teach it and I learn from it and I am continually in awe of its power, beauty, rage, vision, and violence.”

Sherman Alexie, New York Times bestselling author

“Without question Leslie Marmon Silko is the most accomplished Native American writer of her generation.”

New York Times Book Review

“An exceptional novel—a cause for celebration.”

Washington Post Book World

“Her assurance, her gravity, her flexibility are all wonderful gifts.”

New York Review of Books

Listener Opinions

Cvh | 2/16/2014

" Ceremony is itself a healing ceremony, warding off the evil that humankind enacts upon itself. In that sense, Silko's novel is extraordinary. This isn't so much a book to read for an interesting narrative with lots of twists or romance or some other escapist excitement- there's not much in the way of that. It's a novel to reflect on and experience as Silko connects violences of the past with violence in the present, American with Japanese, White with Indian. It's a sober book, but important. "

Emma | 2/12/2014

" It was interesting but fairly confusing with what was actually happening and what was memory. "

Tholdampf | 2/6/2014

" Anyone who has any Native American Heritage should read this book it's brilliant "

Chase | 1/30/2014

" Quite a beautiful novel I read in a Literature class. Requires thought and personal reflection of the multitude of symbolism in the novel "

Ali | 1/8/2014

" This book was very enjoyable for me because of the focus on Native American culture. The story is of the struggles with alcohol and pull between new and old. I found it very easy to pull for the main character and enjoyed his journey. "

Mike McQuillian | 1/4/2014

" A tough one to sum up. Beautifully written novel about PTSD, alcoholism, the treatment of Native American men after WW II, and tradition vs. "progress." Very, very good. "

Adam Channel | 12/25/2013

" native american mythology/post apocalyptic journey "

Shannon | 12/8/2013

" Tayo is one of the strongest characters I have been introduced to. He takes us on a journey with him, which leads to much insight into the native american culture. This is the only book I have read by Silko, but she is a wondeful author...parts of the narrative are still with me today. "

Rebecca | 9/24/2013

" This book both inspired me to work with vets and also made me feel hopeless about doing so. Either way, I love this work and I love the LMS. She is awesome. "

Beth | 4/29/2013

" Really random and I had a hard time following the story line. I know that it was supposed to be written like a spider's web, but I don't think it helped any. "

Sera | 3/6/2013

" Interesting to read in the context of master narratives. "

Jim R. | 6/12/2012

" The best way I can think to describe this book is, 'beautifully written.' The language flows really well... "

Colleen | 5/17/2012

" Absolutely beautiful. Silko's language is poetic and rich with man's connection to nature. At times I desired more information about the main character and his situation, but as I continued I realized that Silko was giving me just what I needed, and that is a beautiful thing. "

Lindsay | 11/6/2011

" My number one all-time favorite book. "

Ellen Jaffe | 9/2/2011

" Wonderful novel by a Native American writer (Laguna Pueblo), set in New Mexico after W.W. Two. about healing and the power of story and ceremony. have re-read several times -- now reading again. "

Julie | 8/29/2011

" This is beautiful. Leslie Marmon Silko writes this novel in a liteary version of an oral tradition ... a tale passed down by elders around a fire or meal ... it's lovely, and painful. "

Julie | 5/24/2011

" Brilliant! If I had to take one book with me to an island for the rest of my days, this is it.
"

Jessamyn | 4/30/2011

" I love Native Americanculture and spend alot of my time studying it. Ithink that this book didavery good job of portraying the struggle of assimilation of cultures and being an indavidual. It was well written and stylisticly uniqueand really gets the reader thinking.
"

Ashley | 4/27/2011

" Apparently you can't put something as read AND to-read.... I need to read this again. I remember really loving it when I read it for American Indian Lit as an undergrad. People keep talking about it though, so I think I shall read it over again.
"

Ali | 3/30/2011

" This book was very enjoyable for me because of the focus on Native American culture. The story is of the struggles with alcohol and pull between new and old. I found it very easy to pull for the main character and enjoyed his journey.
"

Lostinanovel | 3/26/2011

" I was fearful that this book was well-regarded by the winds of political correctness but was happily surprised to find a unique and beautiful voice. A pleasure to read.
"

Becca | 2/23/2011

" This was such a good book. I had to read it for my english class and usually i dont like the books that schools force us to read but i adored this book and after reading it i felt ten times closer to my native american heritage. Its amazing what silko created in this book. Simply amazing
"

Justin | 2/17/2011

" I unfortunately had to rush through the ending so I'm sure I missed a lot, but I definitely plan to reread it sometime. It was very good, Silko is a poet, even in prose form, and she weaves an intricate and beautiful story.
"

Toni | 1/27/2011

" At first, Ceremony was a challenging read. It was difficult to keep up with the flashbacks that occurred without warning. However, as I progressed through the book, it got much easier to read. This is your typical hero's journey, just with different names and places.
"

Other Titles by Leslie Marmon Silko:

About the Author

Leslie Marmon Silko has said that her
writing has at its core “the attempt to identify what it is to be a half-breed
or mixed-blood person.” As she grew up on the Laguna Pueblo Reservation, she
learned the stories and culture of the Laguna people from her great-grandmother
and other female relatives. After receiving her BA in English at the University
of New Mexico, she enrolled in the University of New Mexico School of Law but
completed only three semesters before deciding that writing and storytelling were
the means by which she could best promote justice. She lives in Tucson,
Arizona.

About the Narrator

Pete Bradbury has appeared both on and off-Broadway and at many of the leading regional theaters across the country in plays ranging from Shakespeare and Molière to Edward Albee and David Mamet. He has also been seen on the CBS miniseries Sally Hemings. A former company member of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, Bradbury received his training in their three-year advanced program. He lives in New York City with his family.

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